Also known as Tantric Buddhism, Mantrayana, Tantrayana, Esoteric Buddhism, Diamond Vehicle or True Words Sect. (Secret) Mantra vehicle is the name most commonly used in Tibetan scriptures. Vajrayāna Buddhism is often viewed as the third major 'vehicle' (Yana) of Buddhism, alongside the Hinayana and Mahayana. The Vajrayana is an extension of Mahayana Buddhism consisting not of philosophical differences, but rather the adoption of ad ...

Including:

• Vajrayana - Advantages of Vajrayana
• Vajrayana - Esoteric Transmission Initiation
• Vajrayana - Relationship with Mahayana
• Vajrayana - History of Vajrayana
• Vajrayana - India
• Vajrayana - China
• Vajrayana - Tibet and other Himalayan kingdoms
• Vajrayana - Japan
• Vajrayana - Indonesia and Malaysia
• Vajrayana - Mongolia

Read more here: » Vajrayana

Including:

• Vajrayana - Distinguishing features of Vajrayana
• Vajrayana - Tantra techniques
• Vajrayana - Esoteric Transmission Initiation
• Vajrayana - Relationship with Mahayana
• Vajrayana - History of Vajrayana
• Vajrayana - India
• Vajrayana - China
• Vajrayana - Tibet and other Himalayan kingdoms
• Vajrayana - Japan
• Vajrayana - Indonesia and Malaysia
• Vajrayana - Mongolia

Read more here: » Vajrayana: Encyclopedia - Vajrayana

The key advantage Vajrayana Buddhism claims to provide is an accelerated path to enlightenment. This is achieved through use of tantra techniques, which are practical aids to spiritual development, and esoteric transmission (explained below). Whereas earlier schools might provide ways to achieve nirvana over the course of many lifetimes, Vajrayana techniques make full enlightenment or Buddhahood possible in a much shorter timeframe, perhaps in a single lifetime. Vajrayana Buddhists do not claim that Theravada or Mahayana practices are in any ...

See also:

Vajrayana, Vajrayana - Advantages of Vajrayana, Vajrayana - Tantra techniques, Vajrayana - Esoteric Transmission Initiation, Vajrayana - Relationship with Mahayana, Vajrayana - History of Vajrayana, Vajrayana - India, Vajrayana - China, Vajrayana - Tibet and other Himalayan kingdoms, Vajrayana - Japan, Vajrayana - Indonesia and Malaysia, Vajrayana - Mongolia

Read more here: » Vajrayana: Encyclopedia II - Vajrayana - Advantages of Vajrayana

Buddhist polemics revolve around the veracity and efficacy of doctrine and practice. It seems that from the very beginning Buddhists were involved in a struggle with non-believers to establish the Truth. By the time the Vajrayana came into being there was already a considerable superstructure of doctrine and practice built up. But the Vajrayana was bound by the same constraints and so ended up adopting everything and trying to make sense of it. The Tibetans synthesised it all into a complex hierarchical system which has ...

Read more here: » Buddhist polemics

Theravada is the single remaining representative of the eighteen (or twenty) Nikaya schools of Indian Buddhism, which are sometimes referred to by the controversial term Hinayana. Theravada is now practiced mainly in Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. Another prominent Nikaya school, was the Sarvastivada, much of the doctrine of which was incorporated into Tibetan Buddhism. It included one of the main branches of Indian Abhidharma that was instrumental in the creation of Yogacara doctrine. Its system of monastic ru ...

Including:

• Buddhism in India - Characteristics
• Buddhism in India - Mahayana
• Buddhism in India - Vajrayana
• Buddhism in India - History
• Buddhism in India - Modern Revival

Read more here: » Buddhism in India

There are a great variety of Buddhist texts. Buddhists place varying value on them: attitudes range from worship of the text itself, to dismissal of some texts as falsification of the ineffable truth. They therefore cannot be called "scripture" in the sense of other religions. The texts can be categorized in a number of ways, but the most fundamental division is that between canonical and non-canonical texts. The former, also called the Sutras (Sanskrit) or Suttas (Pali), are held to be, literally or metaphoricall ...

Including:

• Buddhist texts - Canonical texts
• Buddhist texts - Non-canonical texts
• Buddhist texts - Texts of the Nikaya Schools
• Buddhist texts - Sutta
• Buddhist texts - Abhidharma
• Buddhist texts - Non-canonical texts
• Buddhist texts - Mahayana texts
• Buddhist texts - Perfection of Wisdom Texts
• Buddhist texts - Saddharma-pundarika
• Buddhist texts - Pure Land Sutras
• Buddhist texts - The Vimalakirti Nirdesha Sutra
• Buddhist texts - Samadhi Sutras
• Buddhist texts - Confession Sutras
• Buddhist texts - The Avatamsaka Sutra
• Buddhist texts - Third Turning Sutras
• Buddhist texts - Tathagatagarbha class sutras
• Buddhist texts - Collected Sutras
• Buddhist texts - Transmigration Sutras
• Buddhist texts - Discipline Sutras
• Buddhist texts - Sutras Devoted to Individual Figures
• Buddhist texts - Proto-Mahayana Sutras
• Buddhist texts - Non-canonical texts
• Buddhist texts - References
• Buddhist texts - Vajrayana Texts
• Buddhist texts - Buddhist tantras
• Buddhist texts - Other products of the Vajrayana literature

Read more here: » Buddhist texts

The religious philosophies and schools of thought in Buddhism have evolved since Buddha's death into diverse, and complex traditions. Buddhist religious philosophy - Three main schools. Buddhism has evolved into myriad schools that can be roughly grouped into three types: Nikaya, Mahayana, and Vajrayana. Of the Nikaya schools, only the Theravada survives. Each branch sees itself as representing the true, original teachings of the Buddha, and some schools believe that the dialectic nature of Bu ...

Including:

• Buddhist religious philosophy - Three main schools
• Buddhist religious philosophy - Mahayana
• Buddhist religious philosophy - Vajrayana

Read more here: » Buddhist religious philosophy

It is commonly believed that Buddhism involves long hours of meditation and is devoid of elaborative pujas (prayers) and ceremonies associated with prayer-offerings. People also think that Gautam Buddha was against an organised religion and propounded Buddhism minus the offerings and ceremonies to undermine the priestly class who exploited the common masses with religious superstitions. But the fact is Buddhism has elaborate ceremonial prayer offerings, especially its Mahayana and Vajrayana forms.

Read more here: » Buddhism: Prayers In Buddhism

Buddhism Schools: The three main branches of Buddhism

Buddhism has evolved into myriad schools that can be roughly grouped into three types: Nikaya, Mahayana, and Vajrayana. Of the Nikaya schools, only the Theravada survives. Each branch sees itself as representing a true, original teachings of the Buddha, and some schools believe that the dialectic nature of Buddhism allows its format, terminology, and techniques to adapt over time in response to changing circumstances, thus validating dharmic approaches different from their own.

Read more here: » Buddhism Schools: The three main branches of Buddhism

Vajrayana Buddhism claims to provide an accelerated path to enlightenment. This is achieved through use of tantra techniques, which are practical aids to spiritual development, and esoteric transmission (explained below). Whereas earlier schools might provide ways to achieve nirvana over the course of many lifetimes, Vajrayana techniques are said to make full enlightenment or Buddhahood possible in a much shorter timeframe, perhaps in a single lifetime. Vajrayana Buddhists do not claim that Theravada or Mahayana practices are in any way inva ...

See also:

Vajrayana, Vajrayana - Distinguishing features of Vajrayana, Vajrayana - Tantra techniques, Vajrayana - Esoteric Transmission Initiation, Vajrayana - Relationship with Mahayana, Vajrayana - History of Vajrayana, Vajrayana - India, Vajrayana - China, Vajrayana - Tibet and other Himalayan kingdoms, Vajrayana - Japan, Vajrayana - Indonesia and Malaysia, Vajrayana - Mongolia

Read more here: » Vajrayana: Encyclopedia II - Vajrayana - Distinguishing features of Vajrayana

The history of Buddhism spans from the 6th century BCE to the present, starting with the birth of the Buddha Siddharta Gautama. This makes it one of the oldest religions practiced today. Throughout this period, the religion evolved as it encountered various countries and cultures, adding to its original Indian foundation Hellenistic as well as Central Asian, East Asian, and Southeast Asian cultural elements. In the process, its geographical extent became considerable so as to affect at one time or another most of the Asian continent. The history of Buddhism is also characterized by the development of numerous movements and schisms, foremost among them the Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana traditions, punctuated by contrasting periods of expansion and retreat.

Read more here: » Buddhism: History of Buddhism

Buddhist polemics revolve around the veracity and efficacy of doctrine and practice. It seems that from the very beginning Buddhists were involved in a struggle with non-believers to establish the Truth. By the time the Vajrayana came into being there was already a considerable superstructure of doctrine and practice built up. But the Vajrayana was bound by the same constraints and so ended up adopting everything and trying to make sense of it. The Tibetans synthesised it all into a complex hierarchical system which has ...

Read more here: » Buddhist polemics: Encyclopedia - Buddhist polemics

Vipassanā (Sanskrit: vipasyanā) is the practice of Insight Meditation. While it is often referred to as Buddhist meditation, the practice taught by the Buddha was non-sectarian, and has a universal application. It does not require conversion to Buddhism. While the meditation practices themselves vary from school to school, the underlying principle is the investigation of phenomena (Sanskrit: dharmas) as they manifest in the five aggregates (Skandha) namely, matter or form (Rupa), sensation or feelings (Vedana), perception (Samjna), mental formations (Saṃskāra) & consciousness (Vijnana). This process lead ...

Including:

• Vipassana - Etymology
• Vipassana - Practice of vipassanā
• Vipassana - Vipassanā today
• Vipassana - Vipassana in the Theravada Mahayana and Vajrayana
• Vipassana - In the Theravada
• Vipassana - In the Mahayana
• Vipassana - In the Vajrayana
• Vipassana - Famous masters

Read more here: » Vipassana: Encyclopedia - Vipassana

Srivijaya (200s-1400) was an ancient Malay kingdom on the island of Sumatra which influenced much of the Malay Archipelago. Records of its beginning are scarce while estimations range from the 200s to the 500s. The kingdom ceased to exist around 1400. In Sanskrit, sri means 'shining' or 'radiant' and vijaya means victory or excellence. Srivijaya - Formation and growth. Around year 500, Srivijayan roots begun to develop around present-day Palembang, Sumatra in Indonesia. Chinese records dated 6 ...

Including:

• Srivijaya - Formation and growth
• Srivijaya - Vajrayana Buddhism
• Srivijaya - Relationship with regional powers
• Srivijaya - Golden age
• Srivijaya - Decline

Read more here: » Srivijaya: Encyclopedia - Srivijaya

Buddhism in India - Nikaya. Theravada is the single remaining representative of the eighteen (or twenty) Nikaya schools of Indian Buddhism, which are sometimes referred to by the controversial term Hinayana. Theravada is now practiced mainly in Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. Another prominent Nikaya school, was the Sarvastivada, much of the doctrine of which was incorporated into Tibetan Buddhism. It included one of the main branches of Indian Abhidharma that was instrument ...

Including:

• Buddhism in India - Characteristics
• Buddhism in India - Nikaya
• Buddhism in India - Mahayana
• Buddhism in India - Vajrayana
• Buddhism in India - History
• Buddhism in India - Modern Revival

Read more here: » Buddhism in India: Encyclopedia - Buddhism in India

Mandala (Sanskrit maṇḍala "circle") is of Hindu origin, but is also used in Buddhist context, to refer to various tangible objects. In practice, mandala has become a generic term for any plan, chart, or geometric pattern which represents the cosmos metaphysically or symbolically, a microcosm of the universe from the human perspective. A mandala, especially its center, can be used ...

Including:

• Mandala - Mandala in Hinduism
• Mandala - Mandala in Buddhism
• Mandala - Mandala in Vajrayana
• Mandala - Mandala in Nichiren Buddhism
• Mandala - Downloading the Gohonzon from GohonzonInfo Group
• Mandala - Other meanings of mandala
• Mandala - Mandala in Discordianism
• Mandala - Mandala Software

Read more here: » Mandala: Encyclopedia - Mandala

Buddhism in Vietnam is Buddhism that had been localized to Vietnam from India and later from China. Vietnamese Buddhism has many characteristics different from Buddhism practiced in other countries. Buddhism is the most influential religion in Vietnam, with about 50 percent of Vietnamese being Buddhists. The number of practicing Buddhists numbers about three million, those who frequently visit Buddhist temples and participate in Buddhist rites number about ten million, and those living under the influence of Buddhism number in ...

Including:

• Buddhism in Vietnam - Formation and Spread of Buddhism in Vietnam
• Buddhism in Vietnam - Zen Buddhism
• Buddhism in Vietnam - Pure Land Buddhism
• Buddhism in Vietnam - Vajrayana Buddhism
• Buddhism in Vietnam - Characteristics of Vietnamese Buddhism
• Buddhism in Vietnam - Syncretism
• Buddhism in Vietnam - Ying-yang harmony
• Buddhism in Vietnam - Flexibility
• Buddhism in Vietnam - Hoa Hao Buddhism

Read more here: » Buddhism in Vietnam: Encyclopedia - Buddhism in Vietnam

The religious philosophies and schools of thought in Buddhism have evolved since Buddha's death into diverse, and complex traditions. Buddhist religious philosophy - Three main schools. Buddhism has evolved into myriad schools that can be roughly grouped into three types: Nikaya, Mahayana, and Vajrayana. Of the Nikaya schools, only the Theravada survives. Each branch sees itself as representing the true, original teachings of the Buddha, and some schools believe that the dialectic nature of Bu ...

Including:

• Buddhist religious philosophy - Three main schools
• Buddhist religious philosophy - Theravada
• Buddhist religious philosophy - Mahayana
• Buddhist religious philosophy - Vajrayana

Read more here: » Buddhist religious philosophy: Encyclopedia - Buddhist religious philosophy

There are a great variety of Buddhist texts. Buddhists place varying value on them: attitudes range from worship of the text itself, to dismissal of some texts as falsification of the ineffable truth. They therefore cannot be called "scripture" in the sense of other religions. The texts can be categorized in a number of ways, but the most fundamental division is that between canonical and non-canonical texts. The former, also called the Sutras (Sanskrit) or Suttas (Pali), are held to be, literally or metaphoricall ...

Including:

• Buddhist texts - Canonical texts
• Buddhist texts - Non-canonical texts
• Buddhist texts - Texts of the Nikaya Schools
• Buddhist texts - Vinaya
• Buddhist texts - Sutta
• Buddhist texts - Abhidharma
• Buddhist texts - Non-canonical texts
• Buddhist texts - Mahayana texts
• Buddhist texts - Perfection of Wisdom Texts
• Buddhist texts - Saddharma-pundarika
• Buddhist texts - Pure Land Sutras
• Buddhist texts - The Vimalakirti Nirdesha Sutra
• Buddhist texts - Samadhi Sutras
• Buddhist texts - Confession Sutras
• Buddhist texts - The Avatamsaka Sutra
• Buddhist texts - Third Turning Sutras
• Buddhist texts - Tathagatagarbha class sutras
• Buddhist texts - Collected Sutras
• Buddhist texts - Transmigration Sutras
• Buddhist texts - Discipline Sutras
• Buddhist texts - Sutras Devoted to Individual Figures
• Buddhist texts - Proto-Mahayana Sutras
• Buddhist texts - Non-canonical texts
• Buddhist texts - References
• Buddhist texts - Vajrayana Texts
• Buddhist texts - Buddhist tantras
• Buddhist texts - Other products of the Vajrayana literature

Read more here: » Buddhist texts: Encyclopedia - Buddhist texts

The history of Buddhism spans from the 6th century BCE to the present, starting with the birth of the Buddha Siddharta Gautama. This makes it one of the oldest religions practiced today. Throughout this period, the religion evolved as it encountered various countries and cultures, adding to its original Indian foundation Hellenistic as well as Central Asian, East Asian, and Southeast Asian cultural elements. In the process, its geographical extent became considerable so as to affect at one time or another most of the Asian continent. ...

Including:

• History of Buddhism - Life of the Buddha
• History of Buddhism - Early Buddhism
• History of Buddhism - 1st Buddhist council 5th c. BCE
• History of Buddhism - 2nd Buddhist council 383 BCE
• History of Buddhism - Ashokan proselytism c. 260 BCE
• History of Buddhism - 3rd Buddhist council c.250 BCE
• History of Buddhism - Hellenistic world
• History of Buddhism - Asian expansion
• History of Buddhism - Sunga persecutions 2nd–1st c.BCE
• History of Buddhism - Greco-Buddhist interaction 2nd c. BCE–1st c. CE
• History of Buddhism - Rise of Mahayana 1st c.BCE–2nd c.CE
• History of Buddhism - Mahayana expansion 1st c.CE–10th c.CE
• History of Buddhism - India
• History of Buddhism - Central and Northern Asia
• History of Buddhism - South-East Asia
• History of Buddhism - Emergence of the Vajrayana 5th century
• History of Buddhism - Theravada Renaissance 11th century CE—
• History of Buddhism - Expansion of Buddhism to the West
• History of Buddhism - Notes

Read more here: » History of Buddhism: Encyclopedia - History of Buddhism